To acquire wisdom is to love yourself; people who cherish understanding will prosper. PROVERBS 19:8 (NLT)

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Benjamin Franklin said, “We are all born ignorant, but one must work hard to remain stupid.”

Will Rogers said it this way: “Everybody is ignorant, only on different subjects.”

Einstein added his own twist: “We are all very ignorant. What happens is that not all ignore the same things.”

Our friend who passed away last week said it like this: “You’ve got to be smarter than what you’re working on.” TD was a man who loved to figure out puzzles about what makes a thing stop working and how to make it work again. He enjoyed taking others along on the journey with him to teach them how to reason through a problem to its solution. 

Wisdom and understanding are among the finest gifts we can give ourselves. “Get all the education you can,” we have been told. That’s good advice. For many people that means advanced degrees and certifications. For others, it means on-the-job training and practical experience over time. 

My parents did not attend college. They grew up in big families with meager resources. This did not hinder their curious minds or deter their commitment to learning. Just about every day with them I can remember was filled with newspapers and books and reading. They always enjoyed learning new things. They still do.

One of my favorite memories from my early teenage years was the day they worked outside in the yard all day and allowed me to lie in bed and read a book in its entirety. If I could remember the title, I would read it again. The memory still thrills my heart. 

How do you prefer learning? A buddy of mine with three degrees past high school enjoys YouTube videos. He can teach himself how to do all kinds of things with the specialists who take the time to explain how to do things most people do not know how to do. 

There are those who, when asked to repair a clock, read a book about the philosophy of time. This leads to other tangential pursuits of an intellectual bent and a trip to Walmart for a new clock. Sometimes this is the wisest path.

How do you enjoy learning? I listen to podcasts as I drive to and from work. On longer trips, I listen to books on the Audible app. Inevitably, this leads to purchasing more books and pursuing new ideas. 

Men like TD, my dad, and our son in law, are good at thinking with deep focus on particular issues until they can repair or build anything to which they set their minds.

My philosophy is this: A day without learning is like a day without sunshine. I want to learn at least one new thing every day. How can we love God with all our minds (Matt. 22:37) if we do not use them to full capacity? 

I have learning time scheduled on my calendar today. One of my coworkers is joining me on a call with a leading practitioner in the certifications we recently added to our bag of tricks. This is my reward for taking care of all of those other details beforehand. 

What will you learn today? How will you stretch your mind? How will you exercise your intelligence? Remember, “To acquire wisdom is to love yourself; people who cherish understanding will prosper.”

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I will love God with all my mind.

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Our Father, teach me. Give me the disciplined pursuit of knowledge, wisdom, and understanding. I want to use all the brains you have given me and all I can borrow. Amen.